What is audio playback software?
When you have a collection of audio files, purchased from Qobuz, another service, or copied from CDs, there are different ways to make the most of them. These files are most often in formats such as FLAC, AAC, WAV, or DSD. Almost all network players, connected amplifiers, and other wireless speakers are capable of reading them. To do this, you need to use their proprietary mobile application and then go to the “server” or “shared folder” section. This works when these files are stored on a computer or a NAS-type server.
However, the handling of file libraries by such applications is often limited. Navigation, search, and sorting options do not allow you to fully enjoy a collection of thousands or tens of thousands of tracks. This is why there are dedicated audio playback applications, such as Audirvana. It is available for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Once the application is launched, you simply need to specify the location of your audio files in order to view the library and start playback.
Features of Audirvana Studio Playback
Audirvana Studio can play all common audio file formats. The application has a classic layout with a menu bar on the left, a playback bar at the bottom, and content displayed in the center. You can browse files by cover art, album list, artist, tracks, and genres. You can create favorites and playlists that will appear at the top of the menu. The search engine, combined with an advanced filtering system, helps you easily find any track, even in the largest audio file collections.
Audirvana also provides access to internet radio stations and podcasts. You can browse them by genre, location, and language. The search engine allows you to find exactly what you’re looking for. Two features are highlighted: local radio stations, as Audirvana knows your location, and a selection of high-quality radio stations. The application also allows you to modify your files by changing the title, artist, or cover art. These changes do not affect the original files; the modifications are saved only within Audirvana.
Qobuz Integration in Audirvana Studio
In addition to allowing the playback of local audio files, which was Audirvana’s primary feature, the application integrates high-quality streaming services, including Qobuz. Once you log in, Qobuz is added to the vertical menu bar. Access is managed through five essential links: Discover, Playlists, The Taste of Qobuz, Favorites, and Purchases. Qobuz is integrated with all the playlist editing capabilities, artist biographies, and album reviews. Only the Magazine is not included.
In the vertical navigation menu, the first section, “My Music”, includes your favorites and playlists. Here, you’ll find everything you’ve created with the Qobuz app. The content is presented in distinct sections, with your file library favorites at the top, followed by your Qobuz favorites below. This makes it easier to access all your preferred music without having to navigate different menus.
High-Resolution Playback with Audirvana Studio
Audirvana supports the playback of local files in all formats, up to very high resolution, as well as streaming Qobuz in Hi-Res. The sound is played through the computer’s default output. However, to go further, an internal or external sound card via USB is recommended. Audirvana will automatically recognize it, and the application will maximize its playback capabilities by recognizing the highest sample rate it supports.
Audirvana can also transmit sound over the network to a compatible player. Thanks to UPnP and Chromecast protocols, your compatible devices will automatically appear in the list of network playback points. Additionally, the “Plays with Audirvana” label allows you to check on the publisher’s website the brands and products directly recognized and compatible with Audirvana. This way, you can’t go wrong.
Audirvana Studio’s processing functions
There is a wide variety of audio playback applications: some older than Audirvana, simpler ones, and surely less evolved. Local file playback and Qobuz integration are not exclusive to Audirvana. However, this application stands out from the competition by the work done around audio quality to make it the standard for high-resolution digital playback applications.
When you open the settings page in the application, the first tab concerns audio. You can view a number of details regarding the capabilities of the computer, those of the connected USB sound card, as well as the path of the audio stream up to playback. Indeed, Audirvana has created an exclusive mode allowing the computer to focus on the ongoing playback to avoid being disturbed by other tasks. By prioritizing its audio playback functions, sound quality can be improved.
But if that’s not enough, Audirvana lets you intervene on the signal path. You can activate up to four different processing functions via plugins, to manage equalization, for example. Without going into detail, there are a myriad of simple or professional tools, including those concerning acoustic calibration. Then, you can apply upsampling and select how volume control is managed.
Audirvana also benefits from visualization and analysis tools. While playing a track, you can see its dynamic representation throughout its duration. By switching to the mini-player, another tool becomes available: the audio scan. This analyzes the track being played and confirms its frequency response and dynamic limits in the form of a curve accompanied by explanations. This way, you can verify that a Hi-Res file is truly in high resolution.
The Audirvana Remote Application
Audirvana has created a mobile application for smartphones and tablets that serves as a remote control. It duplicates the controls of the application for PC, Mac, or Linux computers. It allows you to select music, whether from your library or from Qobuz, as well as modify various sound settings. The mobile application synchronizes with the desktop application via a code, so both devices must be connected to the same network.
Thanks to the mobile application, it becomes possible to dedicate a computer to the Audirvana application and turn it into a custom network player, both in terms of aesthetics, thanks to the chosen enclosure, and technically, with the selection of the best components. The computer, acting as a network player, has the advantage of being more upgradable than a traditional network player, which is fixed in its original design.
This mobile application also allows the installation of Audirvana not on a computer, but on a NAS server, such as those from Synology or QNAP. In this case, Audirvana becomes the hub of a digital playback system through three functions: storing the file library, processing the audio signal, and transmitting music to a compatible player. In such a setup, the control interface for the system is the Audirvana Remote mobile application.
Why use Audirvana Studio?
The Audirvana application is an audio playback solution that combines digital files and streaming via Qobuz. It stands out from the competition through its signal processing chain to enhance the listening experience. Moreover, the sound from the Audirvana solution differs from other audio playback software and may better meet your expectations. You can test Audirvana for free for 30 days. After that, access to Audirvana Studio operates on a monthly or annual subscription basis.
